The Power of a Story to Market Your Product On the Internet...

Have you ever been pulled into a good story and feel like you have to keep on reading to find out what's going to happen next?

Of course, you have.

Attention-grabbing stories are everywhere in our lives. They are in the books we read, the television shows we watch; comedians use them all the time to get their jokes across; politicians use them to persuade millions, and advertisers use them every day to SELL thousands of products every day.

On the internet, stories are a powerful tool to increase conversion rates of your product. Stories allow the reader to visualize why they need your product, and they feel closer to you because you have made them aware of a new choice they have at this moment of their life.

Creating compelling stories requires practice, but when you get the right message across, you will be able to connect with your prospect and then close the sale more often than with emotionless words.

7 powerful story ideas

1. Childhood stories- Growing up comes with many difficulties that we all have to go through, and we can all relate to common moments of our youth.

2. Funny situations- Everyone likes someone with a funny story to tell, and this builds a feeling that this is someone we can trust and like.

3. Nostalgic memories of the past- When people look back at the past, it always seems better than when we actually lived it. People want to remember the things that brought them happy moments in their lives.

4. Embarrassing moments- Whenever one of these stories is told, it grabs our attention because we like to hear stories that shock and interest us.

5. Moments of success- One of the most famous headlines, and one of my favorites, is 'When I started to play the piano, everyone laughed, but when I started to play...' The largest fear of people is not death, but presenting in front of many other people. When you triumph over these fears, people begin to admire you and want to listen to what you have to say.

6. Moments of realization- Tell when you hit rock bottom and how you realized your life had to change. Then tell how your product helped you accomplish a difficult task that you faced when changing your life.

7. How you came up with the idea for your product- If you are struggling with coming up with a story, just create one as to how you came up with your product and why it is so useful.

6 steps to write a story that sells your product.

1. Before you get started, make sure you quickly tell what's in it for the prospect. This is usually done in the form of a headline. By doing this, your customer has an idea as to why he should keep on reading.

2. Tell what you learned from the story. If you want to tell something, you need to have a point to your story. The point of the story should be designed to sell your product later on.

3. Create a transition moment where everything turned around. - The purpose of this in the sto...

Marketing: Know Your Seasons

By Joan Friedlander

Like many capable business owners and professionals, you are probably great at what you do and not so great at - nor thrilled about -marketing your services. It seems we sometimes spend more time marketing than actually conducting business. I have met more than one entrepreneur so turned off by their conceptions of marketing and what it takes, that they find themselves completely stumped and floundering.

There are many great ideas about how to effectively market yourself and your service-based business, and as many rules as there are marketing experts. Consider these:

- You should be out networking three or four nights a week - Public speaking is the key to marketing success

- You need a 30-second commercial that will attract attention

- You need a user-friendly, interesting, information-filled Web site

- You need to write (brilliant) articles

- Tell everyone you meet what you do - even at the grocery store!

- Follow-up is key, etc.

The list goes on. All are true, yet in their entirety can be overwhelming. After all, you have your own style, strengths and talents, an aversion to certain activities, and you have limited time and resources.

If you are not going to market 24/7, then what amount of time should you spend? If there are at least 100 marketing activities from which to choose, which are best for you? And just when should you be doing what?

Identifying and leveraging seasonal cycles If you've been in business for two or three years, you've probably observed a rhythm to your business. You may have noticed times when interest in your products or services seems to pick up, without much effort on your part. If you look more closely, it's likely that some of this ebb and flow coincides with the seasons and artificial markers in life.

For example, let's look at the impact of the winter holidays on business.

For retailers and gift and/or product-based businesses: Most retailers generate as much as 80% of their business revenue between Thanksgiving and New Year's, so this is the time they pour on the advertising dollars - buying bigger newspaper ads, running more promotions, and buying more TV time. Some companies advertise on TV only at this time of year. These companies are leveraging the natural cycles of their business opportunities and don't expend time and resources to the same degree at other times.

For service-based businesses: If you offer services that cater to individuals, the winter holidays are probably not a prime time for new business. People are too busy with other things. Vacation, family and holiday commitments virtually derail them from normal business. People may meet with you in November and December, but more than likely they won't commit to anything until January.

For me, there is a natural fall-off to my business between October and December when some clients are ready to take a break or wrap up their coaching. This provides an opportunity for me to p...

What is Your Marketing Message?

by Cathy Taylor

Marketing is creating the impression people get about your company and its products and services. It happens through many forms of communication including things as basic as how your phone is answered, what your marketing collateral looks like-including business cards and letterhead-to the even more crucial direct contact of sales and customer service personnel. Your impression, whether first or continuing, better be good and crystal clear. To make sure it is, let's outline the basic steps you need to consider as we enter a new year.

Develop a marketing program:

A marketing program not only tells you where you want to go and how you want to get there, it reminds you of that path when the going gets tough. It is critical to develop a detailed marketing program with solid deadlines and revise it least once a year. Your company's vision, goals and priorities will establish how to most effectively utilize your marketing budget. When this plan is complete, you will know how to answer the questions: "Who are we? What do we want to accomplish? Exactly how do we plan to get there?"

Be consistent in your communications:

Part of successful marketing is setting a goal and not deviating from it until you achieve it. Marketing is repeated, proactive communication describing what you do best. Once you decide how your company is strategically positioned in the marketplace, including competitive comparisons, you can develop the formula that will tell people what you have to offer that is unique and directly fulfills their needs-they have a problem, you have a solution-and your marketing should show them just how easily that process works.

Strategic positioning:

This comes from asking, "Why did you get into business in the first place? What do you do better than any related firm?" The answers you get are the beginning of the message you want to repeat to your prospects and customers until you gain significant mindshare.

It's important to communicate just how cost-effective your company has made stone construction, for example. Remember, benefits are what your customers want to buy. Then you add in the "other" benefits-durability, strength, aesthetics, ease of maintenance and quality. Show how the quality of your work force and the advent of new technologies make masonry the informed choice. Define, articulate and emphasize what each of these benefits brings from the unique perspective of your target market - the architects, engineers and general contractors. And, last but certainly not least, don't forget the people they serve - the end consumer, the owner.

Print Media

The first step in any marketing program is building your corporate ID package. The image, or "look and feel" you want to portray, gets designed into a logo for business cards and letterhead. This representation must be carried through to all printed material such as brochures, data sheets and sales presentations, adve...

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